Derry City left it late to seal victory over fellow title contenders St Patrick’s Athletic at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium (kick off 7.45 pm)/
Second-half goals from Ben Doherty and Colm Whelan secured the win, as Ruaidhri Higgins’ side closed the gap on Bohemians to just three points after the leaders’ draw at UCD.
The Brandywell fans also seem to have found a new favourite in Whelan, as the young striker netted his second goal in as many games.
The Saints will be annoyed it never really got going, but will be annoyed by referee Paul McLaughlin’s decision to award the penalty for City’s crucial opening goal.
The woodwork denied the home side an 11th-minute lead, as Oliver O’Neill’s close-range shot, which had goalkeeper Dean Lyness beaten, came back off the post.
Moments later a Doherty corner was knocked down by Cameron McJannet but Michael Duffy’s close-range header was straight at Lyness.
Derry continued to be the better side and they should have taken the lead on 30 minutes as O’Neill played a lovely pass to Doherty, but his side-footed strike was too close to Lyness.
The Saints keeper had to make another smart save moments later, diving full-stretch to his left to keep out Duffy’s curling shot.
Soon after a super teasing right wing cross from Ryan Graydon found Duffy at the back post, but the winger’s left footed strike from around the penalty spot, failed to trouble Lyness.
Just before half-time more fantastic link-up play down the left by Doherty and Duffy, ended with the winger’s teasing centre flashing across the Saints six yard box.
Early in the second half, a teasing Duffy free-kick found McJannet, but the centre-back’s left-footed shot flew well over. Soon after, Graydon went close, but his 20-yard drive, which had Lyness worried, just cleared the crossbar.
The deadlock was finally broken on 72 minutes in somewhat controversial circumstances as referee McLaughlin felt that Lewis had upended Graydon.
After the visitor’s protests were waved away, Doherty stepped up and fired home the resulting spot-kick, blasting the ball high into the left corner.
Derry added a second on 79 minutes as Whelan made it two in two, heading home from close range after Doherty’s in-swinging corner picked him out.
Derry City: Brian Maher, Ronan Boyce, Shane McEleney, Cameron McJannet, Ben Doherty; Sadou Diallo (Jordan McEneff 69), Adam O’Reilly, Oliver O’Neill; Ryan Graydon, Cian Kavanagh (Colm Whelan 64), Michael Duffy.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Dean Lyness, Noah Lewis, Anthony Breslin, Jamie Lennon, Chris Forrester, Eoin Doyle (Thomas Lonergan 74), Mark Doyle (Conor Carty 87), Jake Mulraney (Serge Atakayi 83), Carl Axei Sjoberg, Sam Curtis, Thijs Timmermans (Adam Murphy 76).
Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Donegal)
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